Aa Chalkey Tujhey....

Photo courtesy:www.johnspotphotography.com

 ......Main lekey chaloon

Ek aisey gagan ke thaley

Jaha Gham bhi na ho

Aansoo bhi na ho

Bas pyaar hi pyaar paley

ek aisey gagan ke thaley...

...

I was just humming this beautiful song by Kishore Kumar and was lost in my memories associated with this song. Let me share this memory with you today.

When I was a little girl, every night while my parents tucked me into bed, Papa would narrate a bed time story.  Papa’s stories normally began something like this – '' once upon a time there was a happy place and there lived a little girl.... a sparrow...a rabbit..…etc etc. Basically, all of Papa’s stories were based in this ''happy place''. When I used to ask Papa where was this happy place located, Papa would say that if I close my eyes and take a deep breath, I would be able to see that happy place. I followed this advice and every time, Papa narrated me a story, I would close my eyes, take a deep breath and try to find the happy place and the little girl, the bird or whoever the character of the story was. It worked, I could actually see the characters of the story and also fall asleep peacefully.

As I grew a bit older and I was beyond the age of  listening to bedtime stories ( mind you, I would still love to listen to Papa's bedtime stories..Papa is simply good at narrating stories...Oh the happy childhood days!) , Amma and Papa used to play some soft melodies of the 60s and 70s era during bedtime. Whenever the tape recorder, played Aa chalkey tujhe song I would close my eyes, take a deep breath and think of  Papa's bed time stories and also I used to see all the good things around me and develop a calm and peaceful feeling.

Happiness lies within us. If we don’t see them, they become invisible. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and go to that happy place within you. That Happy place belongs to you, it is with you in whatever you do and you can take it with you wherever you go. As you go to that happy place within you, don’t you hear a voice there that asks you to believe in yourself?  Don't you hear the voice that asks you to remain hopeful and positive? Don’t you hear the voice that asks you to share love and respect? Does that happy place not bring a smile on your face?

As, I write this post, I am feeling a deep sense of happiness. I want to take this opportunity to THANK all you lovely Blogdosts who read my blog and who leave comments on my posts, my THANKS are also due to all you lovely visitors who read my blog and don’t leave comments but do come back to my blog another time.  All of you mean a lot to me and  and it is you who inspire me to carry on producing blogposts. I want you all to know that I love you all and want you to be happy always. I hope that we will continue our friendship in the new year too.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU. I hope your Santa brings you loads of happiness.

Here’s wishing  all you lovely bloggers and readers  in the Blogosphere a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. I hope all your dreams come true just like how you wish them to be or even BETTER. Hope all of us are surrounded by good health, fortune and HAPPINESS always.

I will be back with new posts on other side of this decade.

Lots of Love and Best Wishes

Always Happy



Fultu Bakwaas - Sheela aur Munni

Once upon a time in the city of filmisthaan lived two girls namely, Munni and Sheela. Sheela was Munni’s devar’s ex girl friend.

MUNNI  had gulaabi gaal, sharaabi nain and nawabi chaal. She had 'phigure' like that of Shilpa and charisma like that of Bebo. Then one day, she went to a desi daaru adda did some 'thumkey', 'latkey' ,'jhatkey' and thus became 'badnaam'. Sareaam she offered herself to her darling and further went on to become a Zandu Balm - not a pain relieveing Zandu balm but one that induces pain in the err...head of 'mango people' who like to watch some descent shows on TV and listen to some descent music.

 

Maaney na Maaney koi, yeh duniya was sheela ki deewani - so claimed SHEELA herself.  During the mid 2010, Sheela had entered into ‘Rajneeti’ and she used to elegantly dress in saaris and salwar kameez. But one day, she went to a metropolitan discotheque with skimpy outfit and danced to some peppy beats and announced that she was ‘jawan’. Little later Sheela suffered from amnesia as she kept screaming ‘whats my name, whats my name ??

Now Munni’s 'badnaami' and Sheela’s 'jawani' are well publicised topics in the Indian media and have constantly filled in newspaper columns, TV, Radio, SMS,  you tube videos, blog posts etc. The music artists who like to make remix videos by picking popular songs and featuring in them with minimal clothes are disappointed with Munni and Sheela because together Munni and Sheela have put these artists out of game. Poor guy Sallu is also upset because pehely bhaabhi badnaam hui aur ab ex-girl friend haath nahi aa rahi hai!

 

FM radio stations and other websites across India have analysed who among the two is more popular based on various parameters such as branding, costumes, latkey jhatkey etc etc . They  have confirmed that Sheela is more popular than Munni. Rightly so, afterall Sheela,  is 'jawaan' as well as 'badnaam' whereas Munni is just badnaam.

Munni and Sheela probably lived happily ever after becoming badnaam and jawaan and generating revenues for 'filmisthaan' and for themselves by signing up for endorsements.

OK, Kahaani khatm. Serious stuff now - I can't believe I am writing about these item songs. But these songs have taken our nation by storm. I am not in favour of these songs but I would be lying if I say Idid not watch these videos.(how else would I be writing about these songs?). I was disappointed with Katrina and also felt disgusted when I watched the song but I have been wondering though if there is any point criticising these songs? Who is to be blamed - the movie makers, lyricists or the actors? Why would they not make such item songs? Afterall, they are there for making money and such songs do generate huge revenues. The truth is film makers are only going by the demands of the modern day film industry and  liberalisation of mainstream cinema. The best the viewers can do is to hold onto their remote controls and also hold other plans on a Sunday afternoon rather than going to watch Dabaang or Tees Mar Khan.

Ab kuch khaaney ki baat ho jaaye?

 

SILVER POMFRET FRY

For step by step visual recipe visit GINGER CHAI .

Apparently I have a surprise gift from Santa Claus!!!!!

This Christmas is going to be special. My sister and her family are visiting me from the US. I haven't seen them outside of pictures for the last 6 years!!

As much as I am excited, my little 6 year old nephew is also very excited about this trip. For the last five years, I have been sending this lil boy gifts for Christmas via amazon, addressed to him, with a little note  saying,'' Thank you for being a good boy this year, Love, Santa Claus from London''. For the first three years of his life, he did not know, who this Santa Claus was but certainly since last two years, he has known that I was the Santa who was sending him these gifts. Nevertheless, he was pleased for the gifts that I sent him.

I am yet to buy his present this year but apparently, with the help of his Mum, he has bought me a present. Last night he called up to say that, he would be getting me a surprise gift. With all excitement I asked him what the gift was and he said it was going to be a SURPRISE!! Yet, the little boy chose to give me some clues about my Gift. Apparently,

- It comes in a box.

- It is applied on the face to enhance beauty!

- It is colourful

- It is something that I would surely love

 and most importantly it is a BIG SURPRISE!!!!

I can't wait for my MAKE UP KIT. Oops! I mean ..I Can't wait For MY SPECIAL SURPRISE GIFT from the Santa who is 6 year old!!!

I do not have words to describe the enthusiasm and effort this child has put in getting his aunt a SURPRISE gift for Christmas.

Things 'SOME' people do/think when their car breaks down....

 ....apart from waiting for the mechanic.

...

1) Attempt to start the car again.....just in case the car has sorted itself out after you rang the recovery service. 

2) 1 hour 10 minutes???  Oh Come on, what is the mechanic doing?  Why does he need an hour to reach the site? Do the recovery services not understand what 'quick service’ means? What are they paid for?   

3) Decide to listen to some music while looking around. …'Chor bazaari do nainon ki’…beep beep....go to next song….'haulley haulley ho jaayega pyaar'... …beep beep..... OFF. For some reason, it doesn’t feel right place, time and mood for music.

4) Search in the dashboard and cabins for some CDs, chocolates or something to nibble.  

5) Check the time… How long ago was the phone call made? Good Lord, why is the mechanic still not here? 

6) Keep an eye on the approaching vehicles. Just in case the mechanic cannot find the car and you need to wave to the mechanic!

7) Ah! perhaps it is time to ring some friend who you would have otherwise not bothered to call. You search for their name on your contacts and then for some reason decide to not to call.

8) Realise that you are very hungry and, thinking of food, you also realise that you have not kept the milk jar back in the fridge after use in the afternoon...damn! it will go stale and you cannot have a cup of tea IF and when you go home.

9) You wonder whether to ring the mechanic once again ? Just to find out if he is on his way! 

10) Hunch forward at the sight of an approaching vehicle. All the oncoming vehicles appear to be recovery vehicles until they drive past you.

11) THANK GOD as the mechanic arrives and hope that nothing major is wrong with the car.

12) When the car is fixed, you take A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF, thank the mechanic and drive away thinking you have found a topic for your blog post today!

Hang on.....Gather strength.....Spread your wings....Take flight........

Colourful, vibrant, enchanting, beautiful ......

Fluttering by, flitting from flower to flower .....

BUTTERFLY BUTTERFLY flutter by flutter by....

...

I was delighted by the beautiful butterfly that I saw during my morning walk today. The butterfly just came fluttering by and sat on a flower gently. The flower swayed but the butterfly stood still on its surface. A minute later the butterfly flapped its wings and rose into the air; once again it was  in the sky, flitting from flower to flower, fluttering its strong yet so fragile wings.

In happiness, we are like the fluttering butterfly in the air and in sorrow, we should be like the butterfly that stands still on the surface of the swaying flower. During the downs, just hang on, gather strength and stretch your wings and take off rejuvenated for the next phase.

A litte fact

 

While I was sitting on a bench and sipping into my hot chocolate at the shopping mall this evening, my eyes caught sight of this (probably) three year old girl playing with a balloon. Her mother was chatting to someone on her mobile phone. The little girl appeared extremely joyful to throw and kick the balloon around. She was applauding and shouting joyfully  every time the balloon flew up and landed either on the flower pot by the side of the bench that her mother was sitting on or on the lap of the old lady who was sat on the other side of the bench. The girl was simply fascinated to watch the balloon bob about when she gently patted it. The fun continued for few minutes until there was a noise DHUBBBBBB and the balloon burst :(. Initially, The little girl was frightened by the bang of the bursting balloon and when she realised that she had lost her toy, needless to say, she was in tears.

It was disappointing to see the happy child crying. But what moved me was what the girl's mother said to her to comfort her.  She told the little girl, ''You had great fun until few minutes ago. Let me know when you feel better again and we can ring daddy and tell him how the balloon moves high when you pat it gently’’.

  

Isn't that amazing how putting things in perspective helps to handle disappointments? The little girl understood that minor disappointments don’t last forever as she was explaining to her dad about the good time that she had had with the balloon. 

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.....I'll be there for you.....

............When the rain starts to pour

I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.

I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.... 

 ...

After an hour long conversation with my friend who lives in India, I have just come off the phone. I do not get to talk to her often. Nether do I get a chance to see her every time I visit India. Yet, she is one true friend who has always been with me and I know she will be with me forever. She can listen to what I don’t say .

Looking back, I realise, I made some friends, lost some friends, and then made some more, lost some more and......This is pretty much the same with every one of us, isn’t it?  Friends come, friends go. Sometimes we do the leaving, sometimes we are left behind. Yet, all of us have few very special friends who have been with us always and will be with us forever.

True friends are hard to come by. If you have a true friend/s treat them as special. Several years from now,  if you were to look back, you might still find them with you.

When your work keeps you busy....

.......You bloody can not blog!!! 

 ...

Excuse me for the language, but thats how raged and guilty I feel at the moment for blogging less frequently over the past two weeks.

Yes, this post is bit of a rant, confession and excuse. Lately, work has been quite busy. I havent really had much time  in my hand to blog or keep up with my bogdosts' blogs.

By the end of this week, things will calm down on the work front and may be I can get back to blogging, something I absolutley love to do. Till then, I will miss my blog and my blogdosts' blog.

How to get noticed in the blogosphere?

Image Courtesy: Dave Walker

To be frank, I am not sure I can give tips on how to get noticed in the blogosphere because, firstly, I am not a notable blogger and secondly, if I knew how to get noticed in the blogosphere, then you would not find this post on my blog but on other websites. Therefore, I will keep this post as short as possible.

I am yet to find my niche in the blogosphere. Still suffering from what is called the Writer’s Block. Couple of times, I wrote posts about current political issues because,  generally, socio political bloggers get more attention.  But when I read the final write up, I myself did not like it. How was anyone else going to like it? So there it was, in my dashboard, no one read it, except me :(

Then I wrote a post poking fun at celebrities. It was great in every respect but not in getting across the humour that it was intended to convey. Again, that post did not make it to my public page.

I grew up reading Tinkle and Archies. I thought I could write one of those 'suppandi' jokes each day. I remember those jokes vividly ..afterall, I narrate them everytime I hang out with my friends. Perhaps, it is time now to share those jokes in the blogosphere. Good stuff! but the downside is I need  to have artistic skills to draw 'suppandi' and his 'master'. I quit drawing since the day I attempted to draw an elephant and my team players could not guess it in the pictionary game and we lost.

I am a movie buff and watch hell lot of bollywood movies so I thought may be I should write about movie reviews. But hey, only one who watches a movie can write a review on that movie, right? In the last few months, I have watched so many bollywood movies but all of them only for first few minutes. Not because, I didnt have time to watch the complete movie but the movies were so damn boring that I could not watch them any longer than the initial fifteen minutes......I just could not. Kites, Raavan, Action Play to name a few.

Many of my posts are simply about something that is currently happening in my life or something that happened in the past. Why would someone be interested in knowing about a someone somewhere who writes about something and who knows a little about the loooooooot of things happening in the Indian politics, bollywood, Big Boss 4 etc?

Oh......just realised, I had begun this post to share  tips on how to get noticed in the blogosphere. Sorry for moving out of scope. So, coming back to tips, I have come to the conclusion that you become a noticed blogger by writing for yourself and using your own original ideas.

Keep up the good work, blogbuddies. That is the best tip I have for you and ME at the moment.

Am I addicted to blogging?

Am I addicted to blogging?

  

Has my TV hour become blog hour these days? 

NO , I don’t miss my favourite TV programmes Sasuraal Genda phool or X factor in order to blog.

Do I Mental blog all the time these days? 

NO, I don’t think about blogging when I am driving, cooking, walking, reading, watching TV and  people watching?

Do I regularly log in to e blogger even when I am busy at work? 

NO, I have my blogger page and RSS feed always open on my desktop.

Do my friends and family complain that of late I don’t give them enough time? 

NO, They are fine if I say I want to spend some time in front of the PC.

Do I lose track of time when I am in front of computer? 

NO, because I am sitting in front of a PC, I put it to blog related use and not the other way round.

Do I write posts during working hours?

 

NO, during work hours, I only jot down things that are of interest of me.

Do I see everything that goes on around me as  a potential blog post? 

NO, I can see two squirrels fighting for a nut on the tree outside my window without thinking that it is blog worthy. I can watch an interesting documentary on TV without thinking that it is blog worthy, I can recollect the fond memories of my childhood without thinking that it is blog worthy. I read other blogs and do not get tempted to write on a similar topic.

 

Do I feel anxious when I have not written a post for four days  or when I have not replied to my comments or if I have not commented on my favourite bloggers’ blog for four days?  

NO, I take it easy and don't think about blogging until I am actually writing a post.

Are all the above answers true ? -  NO

A Letter to my best companion

Dear Inner Self,

I just wanted to tell you, you are my best companion and you are very beautiful, clean and pure.

I want to celebrate our two decades (and few something years) of association today. We have been together ever since I made appearance in this world. During the initial few years, I did not know you existed but as I began to explore the world and people around me, you began your curious journey of endless questioning too. Do you remember, how you influenced me to ask some sensible and some not so sensible questions such as what happens after death? why is ant so tiny? why is a rose plant called a rose plant and not a rose tree? why is a banyan tree called a banyan tree and not a banyan plant?? You curious, lil thing!

You have stood by me through thick and thin. Every time I laugh, you laugh with me. When I cry, you cry with me but you settle down sooner and offer me courage and strength by saying that it is not possible to avoid unpleasant things in life and that ''sab theek ho jayega''. You and I are in constant conversation with each other. We even smile together.

You have the ability to interpret what is wrong and right.  I just want you to know that anytime, I do something wrong, it is purely because I resist to listen to you. Yet, you stand by me and assure me that you believe that I would learn to not to repeat the same mistake in future. You are the one who enables me to face the person I see when I look into a mirror. Also, when I do something to please you, you beautifully compliment me.For instance, you know right, how I dislike going for team lunches in the office? Yet, you help me to smile and go ahead with it.

You and I share same hobbies and interests. You love the people I love. But it is fascinating to know that you also like the people that I don't particularly like. I am referring to those school mates and work colleagues that I dislike. I don't understand why you tell me that they are not so bad but they are just like me and that I need to have a positive outlook towards them. I like it when you tell me that people are always good. It is only circumstances and times that make them appear bad. I want to respect you when you tell me they have a mind as curious, innocent and beautiful as I do.

I am so proud of you that you are so easy to get along with and that you have connected very well with all my friends, my blog and more importantly my blogdosts. It is nice to see that you care for them and want to always wish them well.

You may be aware that whatever I am today, it is because of you. You had a dream for me since I was a little kid and I just followed it. Isn't it amazing how your dream is my reality today??

I know you want to see me be happy always and settle for nothing less than best in life.

Oh, dear inner self , aren't you so nice, beautiful and innocent? 

Yours Truly
Always Happy

Ae dil e Naadan..

 

Naadaan dil.......

Rangeen Khayal...

Masoom Sapney..
Sunaharey Pal........

Bachapn ke wo din
...

Ajay and Pepper  (two of my blogdosts from the blogsphere) wrote beautiful posts about their childhood misconceptions. After reading those sweet posts, I am quite tempted to jot down some of my childhood misconceptions. Here we go:

1)      I assumed  Television had the largest population - yes, I believed that all who appear on TV lived inside the TV. Especially the DD1 news readers, the actors and thousands of people who gather in the stadium to watch a cricket match or republic day parade. I also, wondered what did the actors do when the news readers were reading the news and vice versa. Also, what did all of them do when our TV was switched off?

2)      In Hindi movies, whenever the actors disguised by pasting a mole on their face, i believed that others could not recognise them. Yet, I wondered why I was able to recognise the actors? I assumed that is because I was very smart.

3)      I believed a  Foreign country meant AMERICA. Srilanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh were neighbouring countries. I didn’t know about other countries then.

4)     When my cousins and I used to gather and the elders would suggest a game – '' one who keeps quiet for the longest period is GOD''. I believed that was true and wanted to be quiet more than anything else.

5)      When someone said ''pet mein choohey daud rahey hain'' I believed there were rats inside their tummy and felt YUCK.

6)      During the fighting sequence in the movies, I used to be quite fascinated by the ‘Dishum Dishum’ noise. I used to hit my brother and wonder why there was no dishum dishum noise?

7)      Just before bedtime, when Amma and Papa used to ask me to brush my teeth, I used to pretend to be asleep. Dad used to say that if someone is asleep, then they should snore. Immediately, I used to make snoring noises, assuming that they would believe I was asleep. This was the case on most of the evenings, and I believed that I was smarter than them.

8)      I used to hide behind the bedroom door and shout ‘bhow’ at my parents when they entered the room and actually believed that they got scared.

 9)   I was clever enough to know that playback singers sang for actors. But, when Aamir and Juhi  in (QSQT) were lost in the forest singing (gazab ka hai din), I wondered Where were Udit and Alka? 

These are a few that I can vividly remember. I am sure, there were many more. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this post. Thank you Ajay for encouraging me to write this post. Thank you Pepper for the original idea and the tag.